Cleveland Cavaliers acquire Kevin Love in three-team deal

FILE - In this Jan. 16, 2012, file photo, Minnesota Timberwolves' Kevin Love reacts during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Sacramento Kings in Minneapolis. The Timberwolves, Cleveland Cavaliers and Philadelphia 76ers completed a blockbuster trade sending Love to team up with LeBron James in Cleveland for 2014 No. 1 draft pick Andrew Wiggins on Saturday, Aug. 23, 2014, a person familiar with the trade said. The Timberwolves are getting Wiggins and former top pick Anthony Bennett from Cleveland and veteran forward Thaddeus Young from Philadelphia. The 76ers get a 2015 first-round draft choice from Cleveland, and guard Alexey Shved and forward Luc Mbah a Moute from Minnesota. (AP Photo/ Jim Mone, File)

Those holding their breath waiting in anticipation of acquiring Kevin Love can now exhale.
The Cavaliers announced a blockbuster trade on Aug. 23 that elevated them to the NBA’s elite.
Love, a three-time All-Star, was shipped to Cleveland in a three-team deal. The Cavaliers traded power forward Anthony Bennett and swingman Andrew Wiggins — No. 1 overall picks in the 2013 and 2014 drafts, respectively — to the Minnesota Timberwolves. They also sent a protected first-round pick in 2015 that belonged to Miami to the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Timberwolves also dealt forward Luc Mbah a Moute and guard Alexey Shved to Philadelphia for forward Thaddeus Young.
The trade had been agreed upon weeks ago, but couldn’t be announced until 30 days after Wiggins signed his rookie contract.
“Kevin joining the Cavaliers represents a very special and unique opportunity for our team,” Cavaliers General Manager David Griffin said in a prepared statement. “At only 25, Kevin has already firmly established himself as one the NBA’s elite players and his talent, versatility and fit are major parts of our team’s vision for success.
“We want to also wish Andrew Wiggins and Anthony Bennett the best as they will continue the start of their careers in Minnesota. They are both outstanding young men that have great potential on the court and long, very successful careers ahead of them.”
Love will be introduced to the Cleveland media on Tuesday, Aug. 26, at 3 p.m. at Cleveland Clinic Courts.
The entire landscape changed on July 11 when LeBron James announced on SI.com he was returning to the Cavaliers via free agency. The Cavaliers have assembled their version of the “Big Three” in Cleveland with James, Love and All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving, currently a member of Team USA.
They are expected to be among the top two teams in the Eastern Conference and have a legitimate chance at advancing to the NBA Finals for the second time in franchise history. They lost to San Antonio in the 2007 NBA Finals.
The 6-foot-10, 243-pound Love could be the league’s top power forward. Voted as a starter for the Western Conference in the 2014 NBA All-Star Game, Love averaged a career-high 26.1 points, 12.5 rebounds and 4.4 assists in 77 games (all starts) for Minnesota last season. He shot 45.7 percent from the field, 37.6 percent from the 3-point arc and 82.1 percent from the foul line.
He ranked first in the NBA in double-doubles (65), first in defensive rebounds per game (9.6), third in total rebounds (12.5), fourth in points (26.1), tied for fourth in triple-doubles (three) and tied for eighth in 3-pointers made (190).
In 2013-14, Love became the first player in NBA history to record 2,000 points, 900 rebounds and 100 3-pointers in a single season.
Love can become an unrestricted free agent after the 2014-15 season. He is expected to re-sign with the Cavaliers, but the two sides cannot agree on the future deal now. That would be against the rules. He will earn $15.7 million this season.
Love’s outside shooting separates him from most big men in the league. Thirty-six percent of his field-goal attempts last year came from behind the 3-point arc.
His perimeter shooting will help space the Cavaliers’ offense and create driving lanes for James, Irving and shooting guard Dion Waiters.
Love has averaged 19.2 points, 12.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists in his six-year career. He is a three-time All-Star (2011, 2012, 2014), a two-time second-team All-NBA selection (2012, 2014), an Olympic gold medalist (2012) and winner of the league’s Most Improved Player award (2011) and Three-Point Shootout (2012). The UCLA product was a second-team All-Rookie pick (2009).
He was the fifth overall pick of the 2008 draft by Memphis, and was later dealt to Minnesota.
“I want to personally thank Kevin Love for his six seasons with the Wolves,” Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor said in a prepared statement. “On the floor, Kevin has worked hard to make himself a great player in the NBA.”
The only negative to the trade is that the Cavaliers were forced to give up on Wiggins, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 draft. However, none of that will matter if the Cavaliers are able to win a championship.
The 6-8, 200-pound Wiggins appears to have “star” written all over him. He’s one of the most athletic players in the league already — and he has never appeared in a regular-season game.
Timberwolves president/coach Flip Saunders refused to make the trade unless Wiggins was involved.
The Timberwolves were thrilled with what they were able to get for Love. Besides Wiggins, they also got Bennett, the top overall selection in the 2013 draft and an emerging talent. They also received Young, who is expected to move into the starting lineup in place of Love.
“We are excited to add three young, talented and athletic players to our team in Andrew Wiggins, Anthony Bennett and Thaddeus Young,” Saunders said in a prepared statement. “With the additions of Wiggins, Bennett and (first-round pick) Zach LaVine this summer, we have brought in three exciting young athletes, who all have the potential to have an impact in this league. All three of them complement each other very well and we believe they will be foundations of our team for years to come.
“Our fans will enjoy watching these exciting players this coming season and beyond.”
The Timberwolves also got a $6.3 million trade exception from Philadelphia.

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About the Author

Bob has covered the Cavs for The News-Herald and Morning Journal since 1995. He's a graduate of Kent State University and New Philadelphia High School. Reach the author at rfinnan@news-herald.com
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